Electric switch.



No. 759,915. PATENTBD MAY 17, 1904. M. VON REGKLINGHAUS-EN.

ILEC'lRIG SWITCH.

APPLIGATION FILED un. 22, 1902.

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.UNITED STATES Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MAX VON RECKLINGHAUSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,915, dated. May 17, 1904,

Application iiled April 22, 1902.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX voN RECKLINGHAU- SEN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following vis a specilication.

My invention relates to improvements in IO that class of electric switches wherein it is desired to break an electric circuit by a sudden movement while the contacts are immersed in a liquid, such as oil.

The invention was originally designed to be I5 applied to switches for making a quick rupture of the starting-circuit for gas or Vapor electric lamps of the Cooper Hewitt type; but it is applicable to a great variety of uses, and I do not wish to limit myself to the single application mentioned.

The special feature of the present invention is that of providing means whereby it is impossible to leave the switch-circuit closed after it has done its work.

My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my switch, some of the parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar view of my switch looked at from a position at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3 3 looking downward, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section along the line 4 4 in Fig. 2, p

and Fig. 5 is a detail view.

The switch forming the subject of my invention may conveniently be mounted upon a suitable base 1, provided with a socket, in which the main body 2 of the switch rests. This main portion of the switch may be made of metal, glass, or porcelain vor any suitable rigid material. In the present instance I vhave shown the body 2 as being made of glass or porcelain.

The body 2 is a liquid-tight cylindrical holder, on the bottom of which rests the por- Serial No. 104,210. (No model.)

celain base 3 of an ordinary snap-switch. The mouth of the vessel 2 is tightly closed by a cap 4 of insulating. material, and the vessel will generally be wholly or partly filled with a liquid, such as oil. The switch contact-plates are mounted in the usual way upon the base 3, the stationary spring-contact pieces being shown at 5 5 and the movable contact-pieces at 6 6. The contact-pieces 6 6 are formed at the opposite ends of the plate 31, surrounding the central operating-shaft 8 of the switch. This plate has arms or extensions 40 at its sides, which arms are bent up and over, so as to hold a block 7 of insulating material,also surrounding the shaft. Other lugs 41 are bent up from the plate 31, and within a notch in one or the other of these lugs a spring 27 is adapted to rest, the other end of the spring being secured to the shaft 8 by means of a pin 28. Below the plate 31 is a ratchet 45, having teeth ninety degrees apart. A pin 44, projecting downward from the plate 31, engages with one of the teeth except when released, as will be described farther on. The central operatingshaft is connected by its screw-threaded upper end with an enlarged continuation 9 of the shaft, the latter being extended upward through the cap 4 and being provided near its upper end with a squared portion 10, over which a button 11 of insulating material iits.

At the top of the squared portion 10 is a caplpiece 12,which sets into an opening in the button 11 and prevents the withdrawal of the latter from the top of the shaft. I may set into the opening in the button 11 a central piece 13 of insulating material, the same being supplied with a slot, by means of which it may be screwed into place within the button, so as to make a generally smooth upper surface to the button. The cap 12 maybe secured to the top of the shaft 9 by any suitable means.

The insulating-piece7 and the plate 31, one or both, are internally screw threaded, as shown in Fig. 5, to engage with a corresponding screw-thread on the "shaft 8. reason for this will appear hereinafter.

The

lVhen the parts are in the positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the switch-circuit is broken between the contact-pieces 5 5 and 6 6, while in a position at ninety degrees therefrom vthe contacts 6 6 will engage with the contacts 5 5 and close the switch-circuit at those points.

r[he stationary switch-contacts 5 5 are suitably secured to binding' posts or hubs 14 15, and the latter are respectively connected, by means of conducting-posts 16 17 ,with conducting-springs 18 19, secured to the top of the cap 4. The upper ends of the springs 18 and 19 extend beneath an insulatingplate 20, loosely surrounding the shaft 9,and resist any downward movement of the said plate. l The plate 20 is perforated at two or more points to receive vertical posts 21 22, which serve to guide the plate when it is pushed downward against the force of the spring.

Underneath the free ends of the springs 18 19 are placed binding-posts 23 24, constituting the main switch-terminals. To the same binding' posts or screws straps 25 26, running to the base 1 and suitably secured thereto, may conveniently be attached for holding' the switch as a whole [irmly in place on the base.

The action of the switch will now be described. By turning the button 11 to the right Athe shaft 9 and its continuation 8 will be correspondingly rotated; but such rotation will not at lirst cause an ang'ular movement of the contacts 6 6. It will simply cause a lifting' of the plate 31 and its Aconnected parts by the action of the screw-threads. (Shown in Fig. 5.) A continued rotation of the shaft, however, will cause the end of the pin 44 to slip past the tooth with which it was engaging, whereupon the force stored inthe-spring 27 will suddenly turn the switch into a position of 'contact between the parts 5 5 and 6 6,while a still further continuation ofthe rotation will break contact again also by a sudden movement. During these forward movements under the inliuence of the spr-ing the plate 31 and the parts connected therewith wind down -upon the screw-threaded shaft and bring the pin 44 successively into engagement with other teeth on the ratchet 45. So long, however, as the upper part of the switch is in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the described action will have no elfect upon the circuit. In order to really operate the switch effectively, it is necessary to press down upon the button 11 until the springs 18 and 19 are broughtinto contact with the binding screws or posts 28 24. r1`hen if the button be rotated to the right the switch will act as a controller of the circuit, the enti-re circuit through the switch when the lower contacts are together being' as follows: by way of the binding-screw 23, spring 18, conducting-post 16, hub 14, spring-contact 5, contacts 6 (i, spring-contact 5, hub 15, conducting-post 17, spring 19, and binding-screw 24.

IV hen the vessel is supplied with oil, the described switch constitutes a means for rupturing' the .circuit under oil by a quick movement. Atthe same time the vessel is well protected against leakage, and the moment the hand of tlie operator releases the switch the springs 18 19 act to break the circuit.

Itlis easily possible to arrange the switch in such a way that the spring's 18 and 19 and their corresponding or cooperating contacts shall also be within the oil-receptacle, so that `the break which takes placewhen the hand releases the switch-handle may also prevent the formation of any injurious arcing between the contact-pieces.

Some of the features of the present switch are applicable to any class of electric switches, whether the contacts are to be submerged in a liquid or not.

The details of the quick-break portion of the switch are merely illustrative, as any preferred type of snap-switch can be substituted -for the type shown.

I claimas my invention- 1. In an electric circuit, a plurality of sets of electric terminals, the members of each set being' relatively movable, means for operating all the sets to close the circuit, means for operating' one or more of the sets to break the circuit by a quick movement, and positive means for separating the terminals of one of the sets on the release of the described operating means for all the sets.

2. In an electric circuit, a plurality of sets of electric terminals, the members of each set ybeing' relatively movable, means for operating all the sets to close the circuit, means for operating' one or more of the sets to break the circuit by a quick movement, the set or sets adapted for quick operation being' immersed in a suitable liquid, and positive means for separating' theterminals of one of the sets on the release of the described operating means for all the sets.

3. ln an electric circuit, an electric switch of the snap or quick-break type comprising a quick-break set or sets of terminals, and one or more additional sets of terminals, a suitable liquid surrounding the quick-break set or sets of terminals, a switch-handle controlling the various sets of terminals, and positive means for restoring the switch-handle on its being released.

4. In an electric switch of the snap or quickbreak type, a set of terminals adapted to be operated by a sudden movement, a second set of terminals adapted to be held apart when the switch is not in operation and adapted to IOS IIO

he brought together at will when the switch is in operation.

5. In an electric switch of the snap or quickbreak type, a set of terminals adapted to be operated by a quick movement under a suitable liquid, a second set of terminals for the said switch, positive means for holding the circuit open at the second set of terminals when the switch is not in operation, and means for closing the circuit at such terminals when 10 it is desired to operate the switch.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of April, A. D. 1902.

- MAX VON RECKLINGHAUSEN.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL,

GEORGE H. STOCKBRIDGE. 

